Development of a Screening Scale for Child Sexual Abuse

DESCRIPTION: The research (Phase II) is designed to complete the initial validity (development stage) research on an intrafamilial child sexual abuse screening scale constructed from items in the Sexual Child Abuse Potential (SCAP) Inventory, so that the Inventory can be released for selected types of field use. Seven studies (Phase II) build upon preliminary studies which indicate that a subset of SCAP Inventory items (that make up a 43-item screening scale) has some utility in discriminating custodial male intrafamilial child sexual abusers (who offend against their female children) and demographically matched comparison males. The research also proposes to collect data on the degree to which the SCAP Inventory scale has utility in screening noncustodial adult males (e.g., uncles, grandfathers) who offend against female children (within the family), adult males who are extrafamilial child sexual abusers who offend against female children, and adult male intrafamilial and extrafamilial child sexual abusers who offend against male children. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: At present, an adequately validated, self-report child sexual abuse screening scale that can be used by social workers and others in the child protective services field is not available. Thus, the development of a screening scale would have immediate use (and a broad market) in the investigation of reported cases, in risk screening activities in secondary prevention programs, and in the evaluation of individual client change resulting from treatment.